Cancer

I tried to down my sorrows, but the bastards learned to how to swim, and now I am overwhelmed by this decent and good feeling.

— Frida Kahlo (Born July 6th, 1906)

As sure as the mother moon will wax and wane, the Cancer’s heart’s emotions are ever-changing despite what they present to the outside world. The “impenetrable” shell of the crab protects an inner realm of the warmest emotional undercurrent and the most beautiful pearls of wisdom. Guided by the moon’s feminine mystique, the Cancer’s instincts are to nurture and to protect the home and family closest to them. In fact, the crab is most at comfortable in the complicated realm of vast human emotion; possessing a sacred expression of empathy almost unmatched by any other sign in our zodiac.

As the second and only cardinal water sign in the cardinal clan, Cancer season summons the sweet beach-bummin’ vibes of summertime. No one could resist the allure of Memorial Day road trips, 4th of July firework show, and Uncle Sam’s red, white and blue - and few can resist the charming, emotionally inviting and nurturing energy of the zodiac’s moon children. Interestingly, whereas other signs share planetary parents, Cancer is the the only sign mothered by the moon. It would behoove one to not take their seemingly kind and gentle, laid-back appearance for heteronormative weakness. These cardinal waterbenders can cast an emotional force palpable enough to lead a revolution. Case in point - openly bisexual Cancer Frida Kahlo who utilized her own physical and emotional pain that ultimately lead her to becoming one of the most iconic female painters of the 20th century.

Particularly compelling for queer Cancer energy is examining the sacred liberation their identities have in expressing the divine mother and fiercely protective feminine archetype. Without suffocating heteronormative values, the highest minded queer Cancer energy is given the context to develop their divine emotional intelligence and use that wisdom to protect and honor the home and family. In our communities, the queer Cancer lives to listen to your joys, your sorrows, and every complicated emotion in between. Remember what we said about empathy? My Mother is a Cancer Sun/Cancer Rising and I've never seen anyone hold a space of empathy quite like her. People intuit her ability to heal and I was blessed to observe my Mother work her moon magic to those who needed to feel seen and heard. Effortlessly, my Mother can cast the pain away and hold a supremely healing space; her demonstration has left a quantum impact on my heart. Which is why, as the son of Cancer Mom, it is a joy to salute those maternal gifts from them.

For Cancers, the blind spot that causes them the most trauma is assuming everyone else can read minds and energy as well as they can. Cancer energy is blessed with fluency in emotional telepathy but that’s only a fraction of communication. Cancer energy can benefit from having the courage to 1) ask for what they want 2) be vocal and clear about their expectation 3) succinctly vocalizing their emotional reactions to circumstances that cause them victim minded thoughts and behavior.

There’s no higher art than living a good life and there’s no higher responsibility than the divine life force life of divine motherhood. For that, we are so grateful for all the Cancer energy in our life.